Random in Another World
by AnimalCookie
Summary: What happens a group of kids from our dimension get lost and run into an angry Huntsman and Huntsgirl who are also lost. What strange creatures are going to help them through the journey? Can friends learn the true meaning of friendship? Enjoy!
1. Lost

**Okay, so I wrote this from a challenge from my friends that said I couldn't write something this random! I hope you like it!**

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Random

"Rose, where did you bring us this time?" the Huntsman sighed seeing that the Huntsgirl had yet to understand the complexity of transferring from one place to another. "I'm not sure Master? Could this be another dimension?" the young girl questioned. "My goodness, you're right! It's the realm of Alive Inanimate Objects!" the Huntsman pointed out. "Which means?" Rose continued. "Which means… anything you touch could be alive," the Huntsman clarified.

"Hey! Watch where you're walking!" a blade of grass shouted upward towards the Huntsman, but his over reactive anger made him stomp back down onto the grass. "Are there any real humans here?" Huntsgirl inquired. "Of course, but we're in the country. The woods. No one should be out here. Just the strange creatures of the forest," the Huntsman declared.

"Great, Katie! You got us lost – again!" Dean complained. "Lay off dude," David warned. "No, I agree with Dean! For once it really is all Katie's fault!" Jaclyn admitted. "Excuse me. I wouldn't have taken a wrong turn if _someone _hadn't dropped my map in the stupid river!" Katie hinted towards Lauren. "Look, I wouldn't have dropped it if I wasn't attacked by big foot," Lauren looked towards Murielle. "It's not my fault that Jaclyn ran me off of my trail," Murielle blamed. "Hey, David was doing something weird, and I had to dodge out of the way to keep from being knocked over!" Jaclyn shifted. "What? Dean was reading, not watching where he was going might I add, and he disturbed a snake. I had to jump out of the way to save my life!" David defended. "Yea, well…"

"Stop! Everyone stop right now! I don't know where we are, or how we got here, but I'm almost certain that we're not still in Michigan," Katie settled everyone down. "So where do you think we are?" David hung his arms over her shoulders. "I don't know. Without a map, I…"

"You said a little while ago you didn't need a map!" Dean tried to keep his tone light. No one wanted to get Katie ticked off – she had all of the food in her backpack, not to mention she could throw a good punch, and have one good tissy fit. "Yes, because I knew the park like the back of my hand – it was drawn on the back of my hand!" she showed a smudged trail on her left hand. "Then why did you jump into the river?" Murielle shot water into her mouth. "Because the map duh! Look. We just need to take a breather. I've got enough food to last two weeks, David's got all of the clothing, Jaclyn and Murielle have the sleeping and bathroom items, and Lauren and Dean have tents and miscellaneous stuff. Now we just have to find someone, to help us," Katie looked around. "Kate, sorry to admit it, but there's no one around for at least a hundred miles," Lauren broke it to her. There was a rustling in a clearing behind them.

"Everyone hide!" Jaclyn shouted. The group made a dash for trees, leaving Katie nowhere to hide. "Who's out there?" a deep voice called from the other side of the bushes. "Katie," David beckoned from a tree. She ran over to him and reached for his hand. David began to pull her up when a big heavy gloved hand fell upon her.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The Huntsman raged at Katie. "I, um, you see," she stuttered. "Huntsgirl," he ordered having Rose come forward.

"Yes Master?" she kneeled in front of him. "Tie her up. We're taking her with us," he demanded not seeing any of Katie's friends. "Master, I don't think she's more trouble than she's worth," Rose defended the innocent girl. "I said tie her up," the Huntsman kept his voice steady. "Right away Master," Rose whipped her staff into a long blue rope, "Hold still," she ordered creeping behind Katie. "Who are you?" Katie shivered at the touch of the rough rope.

Her friends shot glances at each other not knowing what to do. "Should we help her?" David looked towards Lauren without speaking.

"I don't know, Dean?"

"How should I know? Jaclyn?"

"Don't look at me, Murielle?"

"I think we should stay here. No use in us all getting kidnapped."

So everyone stayed where they were and watched their friend being taken away. "We have to get her back!" David jumped out of the tree after they were out of sight.

"I don't see how we can though? Did you see the size of that guy?" Murielle bulged her eyes.

"But the girl didn't look that dangerous," Jaclyn cracked her knuckles.

"She could be though. What if she's like a genetic mutation?" Dean played.

"I say the most important thing is finding a town or something. We can get help there and figure out where we are, and how we got here," Lauren planned.

"You little children wouldn't be looking for the nearest town, would you?" yet another voice came from behind a bush.

"Who's there?" they all jumped.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I saw what that man did to your friend, and I want to help. My name's Lacy and this is Tali," she showed her friend who was also hiding.

"Do you know who he is?" Lauren asked.

"I've never seen him before," Tali noted. "He did seem dangerous though, but your friend will not be killed – trust me."

"How can you tell?" Dean tilted his head.

"I have my ways," she smiled.

"Can you just get us to town?" Murielle rushed.

"It's this way over here. What are you doing this far out in the woods anyway? Don't you know it's dangerous with all of the creatures popping out of nowhere?" Lacy shook her finger.

"You mean like animals? I can take them!" David declared.

"Yea, sure, animals," Tali lied. "Wait, you kids are from the Reality Dimension, aren't you?"

"Huh?" they spoke in unison.

"You've never heard of dimensions?" Lacy retorted.

"You mean in like math?" Dean guessed.

"Boy we have a lot to learn," Lacy mumbled to herself. "Good thing we have a long walk ahead of us."

They all began to wander off in a southwest direction. No one knew where the ladies were taking them, but it was better than standing there, waiting for their friend to be killed.

David, Dean, and Jaclyn had all split their food from Katie's backpack into theirs.

"Who are you? Please tell me," Katie begged.

"Quiet girl. You are our new official guide, so tell me where I am," the Huntsman ordered.

"I don't know sir. I was walking with my friends, and then we lost the map, and then we were in this strange place, and then you came, and…"

"Silence your rambling! Can you help me or not?" The Huntsman yelled.

"I'm sorry sir," she put her head down in shame not being able to help. Katie hated feeling answerless like this.

"We'll stop here. Huntsgirl, I'm going to go find dinner. Set up camp here. Keep an eye on the girl too," The Huntsman walked off.

"I'd love to," Rose sat Katie down on an old stump and walked off uphill to find firewood.

"What am I going to do?" Katie mumbled quietly. "There's no one here to save me. I might as well become one of those Hunts-people, whatever they're called?"

"I'm lonely too," the stump spoke from under her.

"What?" Katie jumped to her feet with her hands still tied behind her back.

"I used to have a bunch of friends a long time ago. The trunk, the branches, all of the leaves, but then one day someone came by and stole them from me. You can sit back down if you want. I don't mind," the stump allowed. She carefully sat back down shocked that a stump was talking to her. Maybe she was going crazy from hypothermia from the jump into the river or something? "I have been here alone many years, and there is never many things to talk with. Even my roots have seemed to abandon me. Of course every once in a while a woodland creature will run by, but since they cannot live on a bare stump, they'll wave hi and run along as if nothing had happened. So who were those people you were with? They don't seem to like you very much?"

"I… don't know them. They took me."

"Well that was rude! What did you do to them?" the stump pondered.

"Nothing. Why are you talking?" Katie questioned.

"Well, this is the dimension of Alive Inanimate Objects. Everything's alive! My name's Conrad, but I'm known as Conrad the Lonely Stump, because no one ever comes to visit me," he introduced.

"Did you just say I'm in a different dimension?" Katie laughed in disbelief.

"Yup! And by the looks of it, you're from the Reality Dimension – because your world is so plain and boring! I think the people you were with were from the Animated Dimension – what you would call _cartoons. _It's really quite easy to understand once you get all of the details," Conrad assured.

"So how did I get from my – dimension – to here?" Katie wondered still finding it hard to believe that there were different dimensions.

"Well, there are thousands of portals all over the place. You just have to activate it." Conrad stated.

"The river! When I jumped into the river, I remember trying to get some leverage on a rock, but I only succeeded to push it even further into the sand! But it did feel like more like a button!" Katie jumped up all excited she had finally figured something out since the river incident.

"Hey, I can sense that she's coming back. You may want to sit down," Conrad advised. Katie regained her seating on top of Conrad the Lonely Stump and pretended like she was still scared and confused. So she did the only thing that she thought would work.

"Um, do you have a name that I might be able to call you by?" Katie asked respectfully.

"Do you?" Huntsgirl began to arrange the wood before igniting it. Katie could feel Conrad become sad to see his dead friends being used as firewood.

"I'm… Katie."

"Well, Katie, you can call me Rose," she still didn't look up from the flame.

"How old are you anyway?"

"How old are you?" Rose returned.

"I'm thirteen."

"Me too. Eighth grade I'm guessing?" Rose warmed her hands.

"Yes. Are you related to him?"

"Are you related to him?"

"No."

"Well then neither am I." Her response confused Katie terribly.

"Is he a family friend to you?"

"Is he a family friend to you?" Rose insisted on the game.

"Oh I get it! He's your legal guardian!"

"Not really."

"Where do you live at?"

"Where do you live at?" Rose sat on a rock on the other side of the fire.

"Michigan."

"New York."

"Okay, cool. So Rose, you seem like a nicely levelheaded person. We don't really need to play these games. Why do you guys want me with you?" Katie compromised.

"The Huntsman thought that you knew the area. But obviously you don't," Rose glared into the ground.

"I'm sorry, Rose. Really, if I could help you I would, but my friends and I got completely lost. I'm afraid it's my fault," Katie admitted.

"You had friends with you?"

"Totally. Oh, right. You didn't see them, but they were there. I hope they're okay."

"Don't tell the Huntsman when he returns."

"Don't tell me what?" he reentered the campsite carrying a large deer over his shoulders.

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**Okay, I'll try to update as soon as possible! Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review! **

**Schoolgirl7**


	2. Friends Become Foes

**Okay, so I said that this was a challenge from a few friends. To clarify this, I had to write a 25 page (on Word) story that included a Cow named Lulu, Phillip the Sponge, Witches, Tom the Oblong Box, and Conrad the Lonely Stump. I decided to throw ADJL into the mix, so I hope you like it so far! Enjoy

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"I was telling her," Rose spoke before Katie could, "The girl really doesn't know anything about these woods. I thought it would be best if she kept her mouth shut then from now on." 

"You really don't know anything about these woods? How about the dimension?" the Huntsman turned to a still tied up Katie as the sun was beginning to set and darkness crept in.

"I never knew there were different dimensions – it's too science fiction for me. Nothing like this ever happens to us," Katie declared.

"Huntsgirl, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" the Huntsman pulled her aside.

"Reality Realm? Definitely. What should we do? Her mind is so small to anything new?" Huntsgirl questioned.

"We take her with us until we find our way out of the forest, and we'll figure out how to get rid of her then. We'll camp out here tonight. I'm making you responsible of her when I'm not present. I don't trust her," he dug his foot into the ground.

"Neither do I." Rose agreed.

"Then it's settled."

Meanwhile, Conrad and Katie whispered to each other. "What are you going to do Katie?" Conrad worried about his newfound friend.

"I really don't know. I don't think Rose is a danger, but that big guy, the Huntsman? He's really scary. We may be leaving in the morning. I'm sorry," she tried to pet the stump with her hand.

"No, I understand. Just talking with you this afternoon was terrific! Thank you for being my friend," Conrad gratified. "It's just, how do you think that you're going to get back to your dimension?"

"I never did get a chance to think about that. Who knows, maybe if I escape from him, I'll just come and live with you," Katie offered.

"All right. Girl, you're going to share a tent with Huntsgirl tonight. Considering you mean absolutely nothing to me, if I find out that you've caused any problems, I'm not afraid to leave you for the termites," the Huntsman threatened.

"Don't worry, sir, I'm not one to instigate fights. But I do feel that I haven't done anything to bring about this trouble you're putting me through," Katie declared.

"You may feel, but I don't. You make any extra trouble for me, and one swipe will end it all. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now let's prepare dinner," the big, strong, forceful man tossed Rose a good sized dagger and let her prepare the deer for the meal.

"Tali, are you sure you know where we're going?" David followed the two girls through the woods.

"David, I grew up here. We know what we're doing," she breathed hard from the up and down of the hills.

"We've been walking forever, and it's getting late. Maybe we should just set up camp. And you know, head out in the morning," Murielle suggested.

"No! I've got to get home before morning. It's non-optional," Tali announced.

"Lacy, aren't there bears and stuff in the woods at night?" Dean looked around.

"Not dangerous ones. Remember, they're really good at making compromises," Lacy reminded. She and Tali had explained everything to them on the way out. No one believed it, and Jaclyn swore that they were crazy and their group should ditch them. So the two teenaged guides had to prove it by talking to a duck.

"Is there anything dangerous here?" Lauren investigated.

"Not really. I mean sure there's always certain things that you have to watch out for, but we're not perfect." Tali assured. "Good. You see that light up ahead?" she pointed. "That's my house. Come on, you guys can stay the night."

FLASHBACK 

"LACY!" Tali sped forward.

"Hey girl! Happy B-Day! This is so exciting! Did your parents get you that car?" Lacy hugged her best friend.

"No, at least not yet. They say that cars are getting too much of an attitude lately. I can't wait for the party tonight! You're coming – right?"

"Girl, we've been friends since what? The minute we were born? Even if finals were tomorrow and I hadn't studied at all, I'd still be coming to this party!"

"Good, because my parents finally think that we're responsible to have boys there for the sleepover. Do you know what this means?!"

"Um, you and Pix are finally going to be able to spend more than two awkward minutes together?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny Lace. I'm thinking about starting with a little romantic but humorous movie, moving into truth or dare, LOTS of sugar, and finally when everyone's dead from so much excitement, you and me play a couple of pranks on them in the only way you and I can play tricks," Tali plotted.

"Tal, you know we're only supposed to use our magic for good. My mom would kill me if she found we were doing it to harm someone!" Lacy fret.

"It's just a little joke! No one will get hurt or harm more than a little embarrassment. You know you want to!"

"Fine," Lacy let in as the bell to begin class rang. "See you later kay?"

"Come over like an hour early! I need you to help set up!"

"Sure! Bye!" And the two went their separate ways for the rest of the day.

"That movie was so girly!" Pix whined.

"I know! Let's play truth or dare!" Lacy got off of the sofa and sat down on the floor around the table. "You choose first Birthday Girl."

"All right then, I say… Pix! Truth or dare?" Tali smiled at him flirtatiously.

"Pfff, a real guy isn't afraid to choose! Dare." He picked.

"All right, I dare you too… lick your foot!"

"Eww! That's gross!"

"I thought you were a real guy," she tantalized. Pix gave her a glare, removed his sock, and licked his foot. All of the girls shrieked in playful disgust.

"Okay Tali. My turn. Truth or dare?"

"Dare." Tali challenged.

"I dare you and Lacy to go out into the forest and bring back the first living thing you can find – besides grass and leaves."

"Wait, I did NOT agree to a dare! I always take the easy route to truth! This is all Tali's!" Lacy refused.

"You have to! You two are like sisters, I'm adamant! Please?" Pix begged.

"Fine."

"YAY! Come on Lace, let's go get that thing!" Tali pulled her out the door.

End Flashback 

"I've got some friends over for the night, but I think we can make some room," Tali smiled sweetly as they walked into her basement.

"Took you long enough?" Pix joked seeing Lacy and Tali walking down the stairs. Everyone had already gone and they were now playing 20 questions.

"You brought humans?" Pix jumped up.

"Relax boy, they needed help, so it suited everyone to bring them here," Tali claimed.

"Tali, Lacy, what's going on?" Murielle stuttered.

"This better not be some kind of joke!" David angered.

"Guys, relax. I told you we'd help you, and we are!" Lacy reassured, "But we also needed to bring a live thing back home as part of a dare. Surprise?"

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**More soon to come! **


	3. Secrets

**Sorry it's been a while since my last update! I hope you enjoy it!

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"Surprise?! You call this a surprise?" Dean stormed.

"Well, technically the dictionary does support it as a surprise. The whole good or bad part is only relevant," David replied.

"Just sit you guys, and I'll get you some clothes and food, and then we can get back to my party," Tali instructed the confused teens.

Katie sat there examining her captors. The big one – the Huntsman – seemed to be like your normal bad guy. Big, strong, mean. But then there was Rose – Huntsgirl – she was different. Young, blonde, sweet when not in the presence of her "master," and as innocent looking as a newborn child. She seemed to be very uncomfortable. Of course she had just spent the last hour preparing dinner, but it wasn't that she was tired. It was a deer, a big deer. A big deer that had a lot of blood, and all of that blood had to go somewhere. Unfortunate for Rose, the blood ended up all over her. Blood streaked her sparkling blonde hair, blood stained her clothing, and blood covered her arms, face, and legs where skin was showing. Now she was eating the remains from the deer, and it unnerved her.

"I want my knife cleaned, girl. There's a river about half a mile away south from here. Go clean it, and get yourself cleaned while you're at it – the blood's beginning to smell," the Huntsman ordered, "Oh, and take the girl with you, I might kill her if you leave us alone."

"Right away Master," Huntsgirl bowed and led Katie south towards the smooth placid river. You could feel the coldness exiting from the river. A light fog had been dancing over the very top, but seemed to disappear with the arrival of the two teen girls.

"Why do you listen to everything he tells you to?" Katie questioned Rose.

"Because it's part of who I am. If I am to complete my destiny, I must obey his every command and follow his every wish," she replied without eye contact.

"Destiny? Why don't you just let things happen how it should? You don't have to go through it if it's bound to happen?" Katie thought.

"Let it go, Katie. I'm not leaving them, and that's final."

"Why? It's not like they'll kill you?"

"I said that was final."

"Whatever. You know what, Rose? You're just a coward! If that guy's not your father, then there's no reason to be stuck with him. If you go through your life miserable, I'm not going to feel sorry for you!"

"I don't recall ever asking you to."

"Does anyone ever feel for you?"

"Look, you've got a big mouth for someone in such a small position. So stop talking."

"You don't like blood do you?"

"Do you like blood?"

"Oh come on, Rose! I don't want to play that stupid game again! Why don't you grow up if you insist on thinking that you should get to treat my like you're higher than I. You see I'd never back talk to the big guy, and that's because he's not insistent on being an immature freak!"

"So now I'm a freak? You're really pushing the boundary here, Katie."

"What boundary? We're in the middle of nowhere! You don't even know where you are!"

"What is going on down here?" The Huntsman approached from the back. Katie became rigid stiff from the deep dark voice. "Huntsgirl, I asked you a question."

"Well, Master, Little-Miss-Talk-A-Lot right here may want to answer that one," Rose pointing while still standing in the river.

"Speak girl."

"I think I'll be quiet now. There's nothing left to say," Katie stepped back away from the Huntsman.

"She was trying to instigate trouble, Master. I apologize if we were becoming overly loud," Huntsgirl atoned.

"Apology accepted Huntsgirl. Both of you come back to camp now. I don't trust this dimension, and I realized that it was foolish to let you go alone into the river. Come, it's time to sleep for the night," the Huntsman led the two girls back through the forest and to the makeshift campsite.

The Huntsman and the Huntsgirl slept on one side of the fire, while Katie was placed next to Conrad The Lonely Stump. She was tied to one of his roots that had been pulled partly out of the ground, but Katie didn't care much.

"Where did you and the girl go?" Conrad whispered quietly to his friend after the two hunters had drifted off to sleep.

"To the river. The girl has a problem with blood – I don't blame her though. I can't even stand needles, let alone the blood that is brought about by them."

"Are you scared?"

"Petrified, but I think that I'll be able to get through this without much damage to my mind. It's good to have you here Conrad."

"You're leaving at dawn right?"

"Most likely. But I found a seed down by the river. Hopefully if I plant it first thing in the morning, it will grow into a lifelong friend!"

"You would really do that for me?"

"What are friends for?"

"You're really my friend?" Conrad asked surprised yet happy.

"Of course Conrad, I kind of understand what it's like to be separated from all of your friends. They took me from my group of friends. I just hope that they're all okay. David and Jaclyn should be able to take care of the protection on the most part, Lauren and Murielle will probably keep tensions down with their loving personality, and Dean ought to be able to know a lot about protection, but this is a weird world – no offense – and I worry about them," Katie watched as Huntsgirl shivered. The Huntsman stood – causing Katie to quickly pretend as if she was asleep – walked to his apprentice, wrapped a blanket around her, and went back to sleep.

"You're friends are going to be all right Katie. You have to know that almost everything in this forest is friendly. Take me for example!" Conrad joked after the Huntsman was back asleep.

"What do you mean by almost everything?"

"Well, you have the regular humans like those two, and then there's that… but you wouldn't want to know."

"Tell me Conrad, please?"

"Oh, fine. The only other thing that your friends have to watch out for, are witches."

"Guys, is it just me, or do you feel something very strange about those two girls that saved us?" Lauren pondered. They were all seated in a circle in a guest room of Tali's house.

"Well, they did capture us as a dare, lie to us, and are practically keeping us here hostage," David pointed out.

"But at least we're out of the forest, we have a warm house, food, water, and they're not hurting us in any way." Murielle shrugged.

"Yet. People don't get kidnapped with nothing happening to them," Dean declared.

"But we weren't kidnapped, they offered to bring us back to the town, and we accepted," Jaclyn noted.

"Guess we should have listened to our parents when they said don't talk to strangers," David laughed.

"Where do you think Katie is?" Lauren reminded of their omitted friend.

"I hope she's going to be all right. We were planning on going to the movies this Friday night after dinner. It was going to be the perfect date," David remembered.

"She's strong, but that big guy looked even stronger," Jaclyn looked down.

"We should probably get some sleep," Dean suggested.

"I've got to use the bathroom, I'll be right back," David stood. As he quietly exited the room, the entire household seemed to have quieted down. The party must have all been asleep. David crept around the corner, used the bathroom, and was just about to return to the room when he saw something he swore he would never see.

Tali and Lacy were gathered around the kitchen table, turning a simple glass of water into a weird red and black liquid. Only one word was able to escape David's mouth in a hush, "Witches."

The Next Morning 

Katie awoke before either of the two Huntsclan members or Conrad. She dug a small hole next to the stump and placed the small tree seed into the ground. Before reburying it, the seed spoke to her in a tiny baby-like voice, "Thank you ma'am. With out you, I would never have been born," and with that, the tiny seed fell into a deep sleep as it was covered by fine dirt.

"Hey Conrad," Katie whispered.

"Yes, Katie?" Conrad yawned.

"I wanted to say thank you again. You really helped me survive yesterday, and I really will miss you."

"Oh, I'm going to miss you too, Katie! If you're ever in this dimension again, come visit!"

"You can count on my visit – but I doubt I'll ever be back again. You take care of yourself, okay?"

"You know I will. You too, don't let them take advantage of you!"

"I won't. Sure gives a sense of adventure though! Most memorable trip yet!"

"Glad you see it that way! I hope you find your friends too. Keep them close if you do, and never let them go."

"Don't worry, Conrad, I won't – and you keep hope that you'll get friends soon enough! Everyone belongs to someone, and it only takes time to find that person – or item."

"Huntsgirl, wake up," The Huntsman woke his student.

"Is it morning already?" Rose turned over.

"Yes, and it's time to move, let's go. Start packing up, and put out the fire. I'm going to see if there's any fish in the river. Stay here, and I'll see you shortly." The Huntsman walked out to the river with a spear that he made with a rock.

"So what smart remark do you have this morning?" Rose questioned.

"Smart remark? Me? Never!" Katie stretched.

"I don't feel like gaming around this morning."

"I wasn't going to! You started it!"

"Could you at least help clean up?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm tied up, and I know that your "master" took his knife with him to the river. So unless you have super human strength, I doubt I'll be doing anything."

"Look, I know that we don't like each other, and that's understandable! Trust me, if I was in your position, I'd be putting up one heck of a fight, but may I suggest one thing to you?"

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Well too bad. You can say whatever you wish to me, but if you talk back to him, you're going to be in BIG trouble! Take it from someone who sort of cares about your well being, don't mess with my Master."

"You may somewhat care about me, but I care nothing for you. I told you that last night at the river. I tried to make peace, and you refused, so now it's my turn. I'm not an idiot, Rose. As much as you may want to believe that the girl you kidnapped knows nothing at all, I do. I just have to reach into my mathematic, scientific, and creative parts of my mind, and I guarantee you, I will escape, find my friends, and return home. So Rose, or Huntsgirl, or whatever you're called, you better keep an eye on me, because one day you'll never get to see me again, and there will be nothing that you can do about it."

"You don't know me as well as you think you do either. But, I can assure you, that I will know you for as long as my Huntsmaster allows us to be acquainted, and if that is for the rest of your life, then so be it. I do not decide, and you do not decide on the decisions when you're in this group. He does, and I would not test the waters on that one," Rose warned.

"Well, let me explain how our day's going to go today," the Huntsman walked back with a large fish – well, as large as they could expect for. "We'll eat for the next hour, then I want to walk east and then move south along the shoreline if there is one. We must eventually spot a town, and they can aid us in returning to our dimension. Every town holds a portal somewhere, the only problem will be how much they demand that we pay to use theirs."

"Sir, what about me? I can't go to the Animated Dimension. I belong to the Reality Realm. I have a family and friends, and an actual life! Please sir, I do not wish to go home with you. Please help me return to where I belong after we find a town! That's all you needed me for anyway was to get you to a town," Katie begged still attached to Conrad.

"And you can't get us to town on your own knowledge, can you?" the Huntsman inquired.

"No sir."

"And you have no idea where we even are, do you?"

"No sir."

"And so you haven't done anything I've ask you, have you?"

"No sir. But I haven't caused any trouble. If you ask me, I have done you both a large favor."

"And that would be…"

"I've kept both of your minds preoccupied while in this horrifying experience. You would have both been scared stiff."

"We don't get scared," Huntsgirl defended.  
"Trust me, when you're lost, you get scared. You two would have been fighting within minutes."

"We don't fight either."

"Oh please. With his aggressiveness, and her attitude, you needed someone to let out all of your built up emotions on a scapegoat, and I allowed you to do that on me," Katie clarified.

"That must be the most idiotic thing that I have ever heard!" The Huntsman practically fell to the ground. "You think that we only fight when we get emotional?"

Now Huntsgirl began to laugh at all of the memories. "Heck, girl, we probably fight every other day! Then of course we have a mission, and we realize if we were wrong, and get over it, but you think that we'd be thankful that you were a "sacrifice" for us?! This chick just keeps getting more and more delusional!"

"Okay, enough, Huntsgirl," the Huntsman tried to mute his laugher. "Now girl, I have a special plan for you when we find a town. You will be coming back to the Animated Dimension with us, and I know exactly what I'll have you do."

"Wait, you don't mean…" Huntsgirl looked up.

"Yup," he smiled. "Now let's get walking. And just because you've done _so _much for me, I'm allowing you not to carry any of the few belongings we have. I don't trust you anyways. Huntsgirl, I'm tying the rope that binds her wrists to your wrist. That all right?"

"But, Master I! It's perfectly fine," she nodded upset.

"Thank you," he gratified. He grabbed Katie's wrists and attached another rope around the tight bonds, and softly knotted it around Huntsgirl's left wrist. "How does that feel?" he checked with Rose afraid he had knotted it way too tightly – like is normal knot.

"It's fine, Master. Nice and loose, but it's not going to slip off. Perfect!" she pledged.

"Good, then I suppose that we should begin our journey?"

"After you Master."

"Bye Conrad!" Katie smiled at her friend for the last time.

"That stump has been alive the whole time?!" The Huntsman raged. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked?" Katie laughed and smiled at Conrad before continuing to walk behind the two Huntsclan members. She knew that the seed would soon turn into a seedling, and Conrad would finally have a friend.

"Good morning everyone!" Lacy walked into her visitor's room. "Hope you all slept well."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" David shot back.

"That's why I asked."

"What were you and Tali doing in the kitchen last night?"

"David! Be nice! They've opened their house up to us! It may not have been in the best of mind, but if they weren't out there, we would have still been out there probably freezing to death!" Lauren scolded.

"No! Those two are freaky witches!" David pointed his finger at the teen girl.

"Excuse me? Tali and I were um… making Kool-Aid®! You must have though it wrong David," Lacy laughed nervously.

"Is that why it was half black?" David turned back to Lacy.

"Like I said, you were seeing things," her voice became very solemn and cold.

"Hey, what's going on?" Tali skipped over hearing Lacy's tone.

"David think that the drinks we were making last night was some freaky magical thing," Lacy turned to her best friend with a hint in her eye.

"David how is that even possible? There's no such thing as witches!" Tali pushed the point.

"Kids, I thought that your parents in the Reality Realm would teach you better?" Lacy added.

"No, they taught us to believe what we see," Dean stuck up for his friend.

"And I know what I saw," David persisted.

"No, you saw us making a fruit drink for my other friends. You really saw us wrong."

"I don't believe you."

"Then you leave us no choice," Tali shrugged. Her and Lacy began mumbling something crazy and all of a sudden, chains appeared around each of their hands, they were all attached to the rest of the group, and Murielle was attached to the wall.

"What the heck are you doing?" Murielle freaked.

"HA! I told you guys! I you those two are freaky witch things!" David gloated.

"We're not freaky okay? We just don't like people knowing," Tali leaned against the wall.

"We're not going to hurt you though. I'll bring you all breakfast in a while, and I hope that you understand that it's not a threat or a punishment, but just a precaution," Lacy smiled and left to go chat with their friends.

"Way to go David!" Jaclyn shouted.

"What did I do?" David returned the volume.

"If you hadn't insisted on what you saw, then we wouldn't be chained together!" Lauren aided Jaclyn's offense.

"Guys! He was right wasn't he? I mean, those two are freaky witches, and I don't think that you have any right blaming David for telling the truth!" Dean pointed at the girls.

"Don't you two know when to let things go? You always have to have it your way! We wouldn't have even been walking near the river if you two weren't such babies about the 'view'!" Murielle whined.

"I wish Katie were here. She's probably dead," Lauren moped.

"Don't talk like that! She's _not _dead. She can't be!" David worried subconsciously.

"You were the one that took up the last tree for yourself!" Jaclyn blamed David.

"How was I supposed to know how many trees there were? I thought you were her friend?"

"Well, you're her boyfriend! You should have been the one taken!"

"What? Do you think that I'm glad she's gone? Do you think I'm glad that I have no idea where she is and she could be dead? Why does everything always have to be my fault?"

"Because you don't think things through!" Murielle intervened.

"You all jumped into a tree too! I wasn't the only one who could only think about my safety in a time of danger. I would give anything to go back in time and redo it! But I can't! Can you?"

"If we could, don't you think we would? Katie was our friend too. Don't act like you're the only one who care!" Lauren angered at the male.

"Then stop acting like I'm the only who betrayed Katie!"

"Would everyone just shut up?!" Dean pleaded. "If we continue to fight, we might as well just kill each other right now. The only way we're going to get through this, is if we stay calm and work like a team!"

"Wow, Dean, you're right. Where did you come up with that?" David looked at him in shock.

"Don't you think that's what Katie would say? I may be adlibbing her a lot, but if I know her the way I think I do, she would be disgusted in us all right now. We're all friends! Everyone is to blame, and yet, everyone did what they could to help her! Katie's gone. She's not with us. We're here, we need to do what we can do as a team!"

"Dean, you've been reading way too many adventure books," Murielle broke the silence. The group all pulled together as best as they could in the chains and began to plot their escape.


	4. Friends For Life

* * *

"Master, we've been walking down this beach forever, maybe we should set up camp and continue in the morning," the Huntsgirl suggested.

"We should have followed the river," Katie mumbled.

"What did you say?" The Huntsman turned to his captive.

"We should have followed the river. Towns need water, and that's what the river has. We were bound to find a town eventually."

"And you couldn't tell us this when we were two miles away from the river instead of thirty miles?!" The Huntsman raged.

"Well, you didn't ask. You also told me not to talk, and I thought that you wouldn't appreciate it. I didn't think that you thought that I was smart enough to know stuff like that. Obviously you aren't."

The Huntsman was furious! This girl was not worth this much pain and pressure. The possibility that she would turn out to be anything for him was so slim that it was not worthy the time!

"MASTER!" Huntsgirl jumped in front of Katie. The action was so quick and so close, that both girls fell to the ground. "Master, don't kill her! If you don't think she's worth the time to take with us, then she's _definitely _not worth the time to kill. I'll keep her in check, just don't go to that measure quite yet."

"Girl, move aside. I've killed before, and I'll kill again," The Huntsman tried to remove his student. But she refused.

"Master, don't. She's not a dragon she's no threat. Let's just find a town and get home."

"You've gotten lucky girl," The Huntsman pointed at Katie. "I am not afraid to kill, but if Huntsgirl has a reason to save your life, I must follow that. But I promise to you, if you ever cross me again, nothing in this world will save you."

"Thank you, Master," Huntsgirl stood and bowed.

"Let's keep moving. I don't care if we have to walk through the night, I want to get to a town by sunrise."

"So everyone knows the plan?" Lauren assured.

"Everyone better know the…" 

"Knock, knock," Tali and Lacy entered the room cutting David and Dean off. "Guys, we're really sorry. We didn't want to have to chain you in here, but we can't risk anyone knowing. Our parents freaked out once when we were in kindergarten, and we were just playing witches with our friends, they dragged us out of that playground so fast it would make your eyes spin."

"We won't tell anyone," Murielle promised.

"We just can't take those chances," Tali frowned.

"If we could, we would. Everyone is staying over one last night, and then you're welcomed to stay wherever you want to in this house. We brought some more food," Lacy set down two boxes of dry cereal and a few blankets. "Well, see you soon!"

"They're lying. They won't let us go, they're going to get rid of us as soon as their guests leave," Lauren declared.

"That's why we need to get out of here tonight," Murielle stated firmly.

The small group of teens were smart enough to know that they had only been chained to a thick plate of dry wall, and will a few strong kicks and a couple forceful heaves, the chain would pop right out. Of course they would all still be chained together, but it was fine for now. They held still until the rest of the household went quiet. They had to smile to themselves that they were probably more suspicious by being quiet than drawing attention by being loud.

Quietly, they all jiggled the hinges off by convincing the live nails that they could be free too if they only found the strength to pop out. Sneaking around the house, they found that the sun was already beginning to rise. That meant they had to hurry. Hurriedly, they all rushed out into the front yard and found that it was all a small farming community. Everywhere there were barns and stables. There were no specific stores, only the General Store. It smelled of horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and anything else that you could imagine finding out on a barn – time ten. But their smell senses couldn't stop them now. They could now see the woods just a mile away.

"Come on you guys! It's not that far!" David urged.

"I don't know, they'll know that we're gone before we reach the trees," Dean worried.

"At a slow pace, it should only take ten minutes," Murielle detailed.

"But that's a long time, and I don't know if it'd be so easy with such a large group chained together," Lauren calculated the struggles.

"Well, there's no time to think about it," Jaclyn decided. "We have to move, and whatever happens, happens. Come on, we have to at least try."

But something prevented them from going on any further. Three people emerged from the woods, but only two seemed free. A third was being dragged from behind. She was tied around the wrists with ropes and her mouth was tied shut with a piece of cloth. The whole group must have been walking through the night, for they all looked as if they could drop sleeping right there and then. Another young girl was the one who held the rope that was connected to the first girl's wrists.

There was a large man leading the group, but he didn't seem to care about the first girl, and the second girl was in great respect to him.

"KATIE?!" all of the escapees cried out.

The first girl – Katie – shot her baggy, bloodshot eyes open to see her friends. How badly she wanted to run over and see them all, but the rope prevented her, and she wanted no more trouble from the Big Guy leading the group.

"Kate!" David continued to call out, but that was a mistake. All of the shouting woke Lacy and Tali, which proceeded in them running out and seeing all of their captives in the middle of their front yard.

"Run!" Jaclyn ordered, but being chained together, the best that they were able to accomplish was moving six yards then stumbling over one another. Katie shook her head in disappointment and embarrassment. She stared as the two older girls yanked on the chain, said a few words, and couldn't believe that they all just disappeared.

"Let's go!" Rose wrenched the rope pulling Katie to the ground.

"There's an inn down there, come, let's go check in," The Huntsman pointed.

"Holy crud! That was Katie!" Lauren stated the obvious.

"You think?" David stepped to the front of the group. "Did you see the state she was in?"

"Hey dude, at least she's still alive," Dean declared.

"That's more than we can say for you," Tali clenched her fists at the sight of her 'guests' escaping. Lacy came out and began to say the same thing as Tali – the same rhythm and accenting – and pointed both of their hands in the chained kids direction. First, the chain snapped in two so now they were all free, but they were all too petrified to move at all. The two witches began to speak once more, and all of the kids were spilt up into different sections.

"Room for two please," The Huntsman walked to the front desk.

"Sir, you have three total?" The clerk noticed Katie – but not the ropes hidden around her wrists, and her mouth shield off.

"Yes, but one of the girls doesn't a bed. Look, I can't afford three people."

"All right then – because you seem nice, one room for two. Here's your key sir."

"Thank you," he nodded and then turned to the two girls, "Let's move."

The room wasn't too awful. There was a small bathroom, two full sized beds, a medium-large television set, and a small walkout deck in the back of the room. The three entered stood in quietness for a few minutes. Finally, the Huntsman and Huntsgirl sat down on the two beds leaving Katie standing there in an awkward position.

"Finally, I'm so tired," Rose flung herself backwards onto the cheap hotel pillow.

"Get some rest, Huntsgirl, you've deserved it," The Huntsman nodded in approval.

"Thank you Master. I will try not to take too long," Rose yawned as she slowly and peacefully drifted away – obviously going to be asleep for a long time.

"As for you," the Huntsman glared at Katie, "Find a place to rest as well."

"How do you know I won't escape?" she competed.

"Because I won't be asleep. I'll be watching you until Huntsgirl awakes, and then I'll get some sleep."

"But aren't you tired?"

"Not in the least bit. I've stayed awake for four days before. Any other questions?"

"No… sir."

"I didn't think so," the Huntsman smirked beneath his mask of black stone. He kept an eye as Katie lay down right where she was standing, before he himself sat into the back of his bed. He chuckled nervously, "Wow, two girls, one predicament, and a million ways to fix it – why can't I figure it out? We have to take the new one with us back to the Animated Dimension and make her one of us – it's the only way. Huntsgirl won't like it, but it must be done. She may actually come in handy. We could use her as bait."

"Great, just where I wanted to be this morning," Jaclyn kicked up some hay from the ground."

"And you think that I am enjoying this any more than you?" David threw his arms to the air.

"I wish you and Katie never met."

"Why not? Don't you like her being happy?"

"Of course I do. But she could be just as happy with someone else!"

"I beg to differ," David moved to the opposite side of the barn. "Can't you just let it go Jaclyn?"

"Hey, it's all your fault we're here anyway!"

"I still don't get what you mean."

"You're the one who demanded that we all take a camping trip together and nominated Katie to be in charge."

"Would you have rather been in charge?"

"No, but it's still your fault!"

"Children, children, children!" A motherly voice came from one of the stalls. The two turned to see a cow staring at them.

"Who are you?" Jaclyn stuttered.

"My name is Lulu. Why are you two fighting?" she munched on hay.

"Because bozo over here got us lost in this dimension, and he just keeps getting more and more annoying every minute!" Jaclyn raged.

"She keeps getting mad at me for no reason!" David exclaimed.

"Children, I believe that the two of you need to settle your differences in a peaceful and respectful way! Now, dear girl, what was your name?" Lulu moved attention.

"J-Jaclyn."

"Jaclyn, why do you not like this young handsome man?"

"She called me handsome," David pointed out.

"He's just so annoying! It's like, Katie and I had a great friendship, and then he came in, and…"

"Whoa, who's Katie?" Lulu cut in.

"She's my friend – his girlfriend – but she's been kidnapped. And it never would have happened if he hadn't gotten us into this mess!"

"How did he get you into the mess?"

"He wanted the camping trip!"

"And so every time someone suggests something and something goes wrong, you're going to blame them?" Lulu reasoned.

"No, I guess not."

"Now, what is your name?" Lulu circled David.

"I'm David. You're a pretty cow," David recognized.

"Why thank you David. Do you think that you've taken Katie from Jaclyn?"

"No. I think Jaclyn's a weirdo!"

"That's not very nice."

"I suppose."

"Now you two hug and make up."

"Do we have to hug?" the looked at Lulu in unison.

"Yes, yes you do." Lulu insisted as the two put their arms around one another and renewed their friendship. "Think about how happy you've just made Katie right now. If she's struggling with whomever she has to, then she's going to have something to look forward to when she returns."

"Yes, she is," the new friends agreed.

"Did you two know that Tali and Lacy weren't always friends?"

"What? They told us that they grew up together?" Jaclyn remembered.

"Yea, I remember them talking about practically being born on the same day," David added.

"Okay, well, for a few years in their childhood, they were best friends, but that's because they were the only ones that each other knew for years. But once they got to the first grade, there was this guy," Lulu lay into the hay.

"Oh, a _guy," _Jaclyn elbowed David as they sat onto the ground as well.

"Yes, a guy. And you have to remember that this was first-grader love. Nothing real. But he was the popular boy, and had interest in both girls. I honestly believe that he enjoyed seeing the two friends feuding over just him. He was a very smart first-grader let me tell you. He could not have done worse in school, but this kid knew how to twist and turn buttons like no one had ever seen before. The girls hated one another for three years. I sat the two down one summer day and tried to figure out what had happened. They wouldn't speak to one another, not even hate words. Finally – and God bless that day – one day the boy moved to Sector Lunka. That's so far away from here, you can't even reach it by telephone."

"So did they realize they were being silly and make up?" David played the 'Happily-Ever-After' ending.

"Unfortunately no. But over the course of yet another year, the two quickly became bored with the new people that they were trying to hang out with, and by the following summer, they were best friends again. I think that their parents were so thankful the two little witches had reunited. I don't even want to go into how dangerous it would be to have two witches trying to kill one another."

"Would we be able to use that to our advantage?" David lit an idea.

"No, and don't even think about it. If two witches –especially female witches – decide to go at it, not only will they be dead, but also everyone in this Sector will be dead. If I think that you two are attempting to turn them against each other, I will go from this sweet motherly cow, to a massacring bull, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, we didn't really think that it could work," Jaclyn put her hands in the air showing her innocence.

"Never, now that we know how dangerous it would be. We would only do it if we think that we could do it for our escape. If you're saying that we could die too, then it would be useless, don't you think so?" David rationed.

"You kids are smart. I like the fact that Tali put you two in here with me. David, I see what Katie sees in you, and Jaclyn, you're a true friend."

"Dean, why are we in the bathroom?" Murielle looked around.

"Lacy and Tali must have put us in here," Dean tried to shake the door and the walls to see if there was any small fracture to allow escape.

"Well, this is quite awkward. So what can we do now?"

"I think we just need to get cleaned up and wait until Lacy and Tali calm down. We probably shouldn't have tried to escape."

"No use in thinking to redo the past. There's a sponge and a sink, why don't you get cleaned first," Murielle pointed.

Dean walked over to the small sink and squirted soap into the middle of the sponge, but before he could do anything else, the sponge contracted shooting the hot soap into Dean's eye.

"Ow! What the?" he jumped back in stinging pain.

"What do you think you're doing?" the sponge stood on the sink shouting in a deep drill sergeant type voice.

"Dean, I think it's alive."

"Thanks for the update twinkle toes! Do you know what an offense it is to have you squirt soap on me without wetting me first is?!"

"Um, no?" Dean blinked out the rest of the pain.

"Drop and give me twenty soldier!"

"I'm no sol…"

"I SAID NOW!"

Dean fell to the floor and performed the twenty sets of the required exercise. Dean, David, and Katie had all done track before school ended, causing them to have push-ups mastered and bursting with energy at every moment. Murielle stood there in shock. Why was a sponge talking, and why was Dean taking orders from it?

"Now, miss, what is your name, love?" he flipped.

"I'm Murielle, sir. May I ask yours?" she gulped.

"I'm Sponge, _Phillip _the Sponge. Murielle dear, why don't you take a seat," Phillip motioned to the toilet seat. "I know it's not fabulous, but a woman should never get tired out for a silly reason such as standing in the bathroom. Sit, sit!"

"I like him!" Murielle laughed.

"So are you two friends of Tali?"

"You… could say that," Dean and Murielle caught eyes.

"Oh, you two are those kids that were driving her insane. Where are the others?"

"We're not really sure," Dean admitted.

"Are you good friends with Tali?" Murielle caught.

"Oh, she loves talking! When Lacy's not available, she'll go on and on about this boy named Pix. She's so in love, but she only thinks that he likes her as a friend," Phillip replied.

"Ooh, that's the total worse!" Murielle declared. "So have you known each other long?"

"Since she was a tiny tot! Her powers keep me from drying up to a crisp, and I am eternally grateful. Dean, please take a seat on the ground, you're making me all nervous with your constant pacing."

"Oh, sorry, I'm just trying to find a way out!" Dean sat with a thud, "Does Tali have any weaknesses?"

"Aye, but none that I'm about to share with you! Strangers come and go, but friends should be forever! Friendship is built out of trust, and without friendship, your inside is as hard as a dried up sponge – no pun intended."

"That's so pretty Phillip. You really are a softy on the inside," Murielle giggled hearing the strong voice be so poetic.

"I'm sorry I offended you earlier Phillip, I'm not used to living things all over," Dean shrugged.

"It's all right, Dean. I may have overreacted a bit," Phillip nodded.

"Now that we're all friends, Phillip, can you help us escape?" Murielle rushed over.

"Sorry, sweetie. If Tali wants you to stay in here, then there's nothing that will get you out. You two better get comfy, because it may be a while until she lets you out. Do you want to hear a story of when I was at war?"

"With who?" Dean quickly became interested.

"What guys," Murielle sighed.

"It was with the menacing Midnight Mold," Phillip became real quiet.

"Why do they call them the Midnight Mold?" Dean questioned in the identical hushed tone as Phillip.

"Because they only attack at midnight, and you don't see it coming until they've completely invaded by morning. So Tali had awoken really early in the morning to get something to drink, when she saw the millions of troops taking over her kitchen. They did everything that they could to try and kill the Mold, but there were too many of them. She came rushing in almost sobbing. She told me the awful mess that was outside, and their entire house was going to be dead if they continued to attack. Of course we were too good of friends for her to want to use me, but I insisted."

"So did you kill them all and become the biggest hero of all time without a scratch on you?"

"Not exactly, Tali sprayed me down with acidy Mold Killer. The other sponges and I fought all night. I lost three good friends that night. Finally, by six AM, we had won, but it was not a pretty sight. I had passed out from the pain of the chemicals. Tali nursed me and the others back to health, but that's when we became especially close. I had led our troops, and that's why she has helped me never to dry up."

"That's cool," Murielle broke out in smile. This whole world was beginning to look cooler and cooler everyday. Maybe if they were stuck there forever, it wouldn't be so terrible.

"Sorry we had to separate you from the rest of them, but we couldn't risk having more than two people in a room, and since your one friend is with the bad guys, you're alone for now," Tali sat Lauren in a chair.

"You're not going to get away with this!" Lauren stormed, "We'll find a way to get out and save Katie."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about escaping, we'll let you all go eventually. We would have had you out by now, but your friend had to find out about our powers. I know this basement's a bit dusty and cold, but that box over there will keep you warm and comfy."

"That's a coffin."

"Actually, it's an oblong box. Don't make the mistake by calling it a coffin."

"Noted, but when will you let us out?"

"As soon as Lacy and I can figure out how to get you five home to your dimension, that's when we'll let you go."

"You mean six."

"What?"

"Six, we're not leaving without Katie," Lauren demanded.

"Look little girl," Tali keeled by Lauren, "you should learn by now that sometimes it's better to save yourself than your friends," she stood to leave.

"So I can tell Lacy that you would abandon her if it was necessary?"

"Well," Tali froze, "if I was in a life or death situation, she'd want me to save myself, because that's what friends do for one another."

"Oh, all right, I'll make sure that she knows about that," Lauren taunted.

"I'm glad you will," Tali exited the basement leaving Lauren with the oblong box.

"Well, I'm sure there's a reason that she wants me to sit with you," Lauren stood over the box and ran a finger over the edge.

"That tickles," the box giggled. "Who are you? You're not Tali. You're not Lacy. Should you even be down here?"

"Um, Tali wants me down here. She also wanted me to stay with you – are you dangerous?" Lauren hesitated talking to the wooden figure.

"Only dangerous of making friends. I was taken from a close friend years ago. Would you be my friend?"

"Sure, I don't see why not, I should be leaving in a few days anyway. I'm Lauren."

"I'm Tom the Oblong Box. It's nice to meet you Lauren."

"Who was the friend that you were taken from?"

"His name was Conrad. He was the best person in the world. He was my stump and I was his trunk. We grew up together – literally."

"I had a friend taken also. Essentially all of my friends were taken, but one was really taken, and I don't know where she is. You know, she may have indeed met up with Conrad somewhere yesterday," Lauren noted.

"Really?! Hmm, I wonder if she'd be able to tell me how he's doing. I miss that stump so much!"

"I bet she'd tell you if she could," Lauren shivered.

"Lauren, are you chilly? Come and lay down inside of me. That's what I was basically made for, and we are friends – right?"

"Well, if you completely insist," Lauren slowly lowered herself into the rectangle opening inside Tom. "It's not so bad in here." Lauren could feel the heat completely rush over and throughout her body. The air was easier to breathe than the regular musty air. "Thank you Tom, thank you."

"It's no problem, Lauren. I like having people take comfort in my shelter. So what sector are you from?"

"Sector? Oh, that's right, I'm not from this dimension."

"Oh! I'm sorry, that could explain a lot. Maybe I should ask what dimension you are from?"

"The Reality Realm, that's why everything is so shocking!" Lauren stated. "It's quiet down here. Does Tali spend any time with you?"

"A little. Most of the time she'll just say high if she comes down to get a soda pop or an old item. If I say that I'd like someone to talk with, she'll bring down this cute little sponge named Phillip. He likes to pretend that he's all tough, but he's so sensitive. Or if she's completely bored, she'll come and chat for a while, but that doesn't happen too often."

"I've been a bit curious about something in this dimension," Lauren began.

"Yes? I can answer anything for you."

"What kinds of problems did you go through when you were like a teenager?"

"I'm not sure that I understand exactly what you're asking?"

"I mean, did you go through peer pressure, drama, parental pressure, etcetera?"

"Well, no one really knows who their parents are, so there's no pressure there. Peer pressure's kind of hard, because there's only so much that we can all do. But there was definitely dares and pressure out when there were so many people in the woods. But then when it comes to drama, oh boy, there was drama. The winged creatures liked to play with the bugs saying that they were better, and the smaller plants liked to feud with some of the stumps. But by the end of the day, we were still friends, and everyday at sunset, no matter how heated tensions had gotten that day, we would all tell an improvised story and laugh until we drifted to sleep."

"That's what our camping trip was going to be like. Jaclyn couldn't wait until the first bonfire to hear the stories. David and Katie were even going to do one together before we all went to sleep."

"Are those your friends?"

"Some of them. There's Dean and Murielle too. The two of them wanted to go fishing for dinner."

"What about you, what were you looking forward to the most?"

"I wanted adventure. Nothing exciting happens to us in our city. It's big, but that just makes it more boring. I never expected something like this to happen," Lauren shook her head.

"If you knew what was going to happen, would you redo this adventure?"

"I'm not sure. It all depends on whether or not we _all _return home safely. Tali wants me to abandon Katie if we have to, but I'm not about to do that. She's in danger I won't leave her. So if we can all go home unharmed, then I probably would do this over again. It's been a roller coaster of excitement, and I actually think that I'm having fun. But if someone gets hurt – or God forbid worse – then I would do anything humanly possible to redo this whole trip. In fact, I wouldn't even allow the trip to happen," Lauren stated.

"You're a good friend Lauren, a good friend."

"You're not too bad yourself Tom, not bad."

That night, Lulu slept in between Jaclyn and David to keep them warm while keeping them at a safe distance from one another to prevent any flames from igniting.

Dean allowed Murielle to take the bathtub to use as a fake bed, and Phillip allowed Dean to hold him like a stuffed animal.

Tom kept Lauren warm all through the night, but he also kept her company with storytelling and jokes. But there was someone who didn't have a good night.


	5. Footsteps

* * *

"Tell me what you know!" The Huntsman raged at Huntsgirl keeping Katie awake all night.

"I-know-nothing!" Huntsgirl raged back. She was struck against the face. She had no mask on revealing her crystal white complexion turning to stone as the attack continued.

"Tell me!"

"Never!"

"Last chance!"

"No," Rose glared the Huntsman in the eyes.

The Huntsman cracked a grin, "Great job. You've completed."

"Are you serious!" Rose glowed.

"I'm proud. You're ready now to be put into any undercover position. You can pass interrogation. Why don't you go get your face cleaned up, and we'll order a late night snack," The Huntsman offered as Rose made her way to the bathroom.

"Don't you think that you could have been a little softer to her?" Katie subconsciously defended the Huntsgirl.

"I'll do what I feel like. Do you think that the magical creatures will go any softer? She has to be prepared for anything. Trust me, interrogation is the last thing you'll ever want to go through."

Everyone had slept so long during the daytime that they were up with energy now a midnight. "So do you trust me now? I haven't done anything today that would lead you to not trust me," Katie pondered.

"Girl, I trust no one but myself. I will admit that you've behaved more appropriately today than yesterday, but that means absolutely nothing to me when you're my hostage. As you have seen, I will treat you better when you act accordingly, but I just don't feel like getting angry at you for no reason today."

"All right Master! I'm fixed!" Rose chimed from the bathroom.

"Okay, now, what would you like?"

"Anything, I'm starving – and if I don't have to prepare it, it's fine."

"Good, then let's go with the Grande Chicken Platter? It'll be good for all three of us."

"Three? You mean you're actually including me?" Katie sat in the corner in disbelief.

"I'm not letting you die. I have my plans for you," the Huntsman looked down.

"Plans? Master, you're not seriously thinking of taking her back – are you?" Rose fret.

"Yes, indeed, I am. She can be useful."

"She'll be going to the Academy though, right? I mean, I won't have to worry about her ever again?"

"Huntsgirl… I want her to train with us in the field. You must rely on my idea."

"I do believe you Master, but… why?"

"Because I said so. Now dial in our order, and buy a movie while you're at it."

"Right away Master."

"Huntsgirl, relax. Think of this as a vacation."

"But sir, we were supposed to be at the lair right now. Besides… I'm relaxed."

"Sure girl, sure."

The movie was ridiculous. The title was tagged "The Attack of the Terrible Turtles." It was nothing but a cheap rip-off of the TMNT Gone Bad. No one enjoyed the plotline nor the characters. Even after a full day's sleep, they were all dead asleep by the end.

"Children, you need to wake up, please, wake up," Lulu rustled the two kids at her sides.

"Yea," David grunted, "what's wrong?"  
"We're up Lulu, we're up," Jaclyn vowed.

"There are strange footsteps outside. I have never heard them before in my life," Lulu fret.

"Are you sure? There's a lot of people around here," David reasoned in his mind.

"Positive. I'm worried."

"There's no need to be scared Lulu," Jaclyn comforted with a soothing stroke along her back.

"I'm not scared child, strangers in this town for long never come with good endings."

"Then why is there that inn?" David remembered.

"Well, we want things to look homely, but sometimes people overstay their welcomes, and only cause trouble."

"Do you feel that this person is out there to cause problems?" Jaclyn inquired.

"I'm not sure. The steps are irregular – I can't keep a steady beat which usually means that they're trouble, or trouble's closely behind them. I want you two to go and hide in one of the empty stalls, I'm going to see who it is."

"Wait, I want to see who's out there too," David begged. "Please let me come."

"All right, but stay low. Jaclyn, go hide or come if you'd like, but like I said stay _low," _Lulu ordered. Jaclyn went and hid but was ready to jump into action at moment's notice. Lulu was shocked to see the front square completely emptied out. There wasn't anybody! "I apologize kids, I swore that I heard someone out there."

"It's okay Lulu, nothing like a bit of excitement to rev up the morning!" David cheered. I sure am hungry though," David declared sharing the same feeling as Jaclyn.

"Well, Tali usually comes in and bring me oats in the morning, she should be in here any moment."

"There's vibrations in the ground," Phillip woke with a start.

"That's my stomach, I'm starving," Dean whined – he had released the death grip on Phillip around midnight.

"No, footsteps – abnormal ones. Dean, do the masculine thing and protect the lady. I'm going to get Tali."

"Hey, what's going on?" Murielle woke and poked her head out of the bathtub.

"Footsteps outside. Phillip just wants to check it out," Dean assured.

"How did he get out?"

"He slipped under the door – ironic right?"

"Um… sure."

"Good morning, Lauren," Tom woke, "How was your sleep?"

"Pretty descent, I'm just awfully hungry – I don't suppose you have any food down here?" Lauren wished.

"Not any that Tali would like you eating. She's very territorial. She won't let you die, trust me, she's not evil."

"Tell that to someone who believes you," Lauren mumbled slightly.

"I heard that – I hear everything."

"So if you hear everything, what's going on outside?"

"Not much, few sporadic commotions, but what are we going to do about it?" Tom shrugged off.

"Good point," Lauren agreed.

"Tali! Tali!" Phillip called out.

"Shhh! What is it Phillip?" Tali quieted the loud sponge.

"There are strange footsteps outside. I think you should check them out."

"Okay, do you want to come with me General?"

"Sure, and oh, by the way – the kids are starving."

"Yes, Lacy's going to take care of them soon, don't worry. So how big to you think this stranger to be?" Tali questioned placing sneakers over her sock covered feet.

"Not big at all – but they're irregular patterns."

"Trouble?"

"Most likely."

"Well, let's investigate."

"Morning kids," Lacy yawned entering the barn. "I've got all homemade: bread, butter, and orange juice. Unless of course you'd like to have the cow's oats."

"I happen to like the oats," Lulu laughed.

"I know Lulu. You're such a good girl. How's your milk capacity?"

"Sweetie, it's getting full, but you go around and get the rest of those kids food, then yourself something nutritious, and then come get me when you're ready."

"Oh, Lulu, I think I'm going to skip breakfast this morning."

"Oh no you don't, you're skin and bones! I'm not having my baby girl getting herself sick!"

"Lulu, you know that I can't fight you – you win too easily."

"That's why I do it child."

"All right, fine, but I'll hurry to come and get you."  
"You know, I could teach one of these fine children to do it," Lulu suggested.

"Nope, sorry girl, Tali would have my head if I let anyone touch her baby."

"Baby?! Don't get me started Lacy girl, the two of you know that I am so much older than you, I doubt we could have time to discuss it."

"You're sweet Lulu. I'll be around soon. If these two give you any trouble, just…"

"No trouble at all honey," Lulu cut her off.

So Lacy continued the routine of delivering food around Tali's house – but she was completely oblivious to the fact Tali was off with Phillip.

"Do you see anything or anyone?" Tali whispered slightly?

"Maybe he was right," Phillip looked all around.

"Who?"

"Dean, he said that the vibrations was his stomach growling – maybe has was right."

"Phillip, you're a military pro, don't second guess yourself," Tali recommended.

"Tali!" one of the townspeople from across the square called out.

"Yes Mr. Hanes?" Tali turned.

"My coffee mug is going crazy that there's a stranger out here! Is that you?"

"No sir, that's why Phillip and I are out. He heard something as well."  
"Tali, you should know never to come out here alone when there's a stranger threat. Where's your father?"

"Sleeping – he was working in the fields all night long to get the first half of the harvest finished. I didn't feel it necessary to disturb him. Besides, I have the one and only General Phillip the Sponge with me."

"No one is going to hurt Tali, sir – I'll make sure of it."

"Ah yes," Mr. Hanes smiled, "the _legendary _General Phillip. You're an idol myth with the children around here Phillip."

"So have you seen anything?" Tali pondered.

"No, I'll search my half if you search this half of the town. If you find anything, do the smart thing."

"Always sir."

"Tali, I'm serious about this."

"Okay Mr. Hanes! I'll be all right! I'm not that small girl like the last time. My daddy's trained me in the best of self-defense. But we do need to be careful out here I agree," Tali nodded. "OH MY GOSH! What was that?" Tali jumped.


	6. I Will Protect You

**Hey guys! Here's the final chapter of Random In Another World! I hope that you guys enjoyed it! Thanks to **Pysch13

* * *

"Stay here Tali, I'm going to go investigate. Go to my parlor and get my two rifles, quick!" Mr. Hanes instructed in a hush as Tali darted off across the clearing to Mr. Hanes's parlor.

Upon her return, Tali noticed that Mr. Hanes hadn't moved from his spot. "Mr. Hanes, I thought that you were going to capture whatever it was," Tali handed him one of the long firearms.

Checking the ammunition, Mr. Hanes whispered a response, "It hasn't moved. I wanted to make sure that it wasn't going to get away – whatever it is. If it does get by me, or get the upper hand, or comes to attack you, don't be afraid to use yours." Tali nodded watching intently clenching the gun as tight as she possible could.

Indeed last time a stranger had thrown their town into turmoil, Tali was a wee child, and had no recollection, but her parents told her the awful stories of how they hadn't gotten regrouped for years. Tali was not to let that happen again. She and Lacy were the only teenagers in their village. All of her friends were from different villages, and even though they loved them, it was not their place to protect another village. Thankfully, Mr. Hanes had taken the step up, but Tali was ready to do whatever she must to not let another disaster occur.

Mr. Hanes quietly snuck around the corner of the building and looked at the boxes in which the intruder was hiding behind. "Come out here now!" Mr. Hanes demanded. The person – or thing – didn't inch. "I said now," Mr. Hanes lightened his voice. He walked further back pointing his gun outward. He was about to shoot. His finger twitched over the trigger, and his breathing became heavier than ever. Raising his shoulder and peering through the target hold, he was stopped dead in his tracks.

"P… Please," the tiny girl whimpered. "H…Help."

Mr. Hanes didn't know what to do. What if was a trick? To distract him while the real person was out there causing trouble? But what if this was just a young innocent girl that really needs help?

"Who are you?" He cleared his throat and attempted a dominant sound.

"M… My name is Katie. I need help," Katie begged. "Please don't shoot."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to shoot you. I thought that you may have been someone else," Mr. Hanes lifted Katie up to her feet from the ground.

"Please, my friends are here, but I don't know where they are! Please, I just need to find them!"

"Honey, just relax! Can you tell me how you got that black eye?" Mr. Hanes observed her condition. "And that cut down your neck?"

"My kidnapper… and I tried to escape this morning… then he got mad… and she attacked me," Katie rambled trying to recap over the previous morning's events.

"Wait, was your captor a male or female?"

"Both! I mean… there were two of them. They were equally as dangerous, but the girl – my age – attacked me."

Mr. Hanes led the young girl out of the alleyway, and brought her back into the opening. Upon seeing the stranger, Tali lifted the gun and pointed at a fear struck Katie. She cringed again in terror.

"At ease Tali. She's not a problem," Mr. Hanes ensured.

"Who is she then?" Tali defended.

"My name is Katie. I'm sorry to intrude on your area. I just need some help," Katie poked at the ground.

"No way," Tali laughed touching the bottom of the rifle to the ground. "_You're _Katie?"

"Yes, I am," Katie tried to re-strengthen her tone.

"I have heard so much…… Too much about you. Obviously your friends think more of you than you really are!"

"Tali, be nice. She's obviously been through something big!" Mr. Hanes scolded.

"No, Mr. Hanes, you don't see. Her friends have caused me nothing but pain and misery. I'll bring her back to her friends and take care of her," Tali offered.

"Are you sure that your father won't get upset?"

"Daddy doesn't mind really. Plus, her friends are _very _excited to see her," Tali smirked leading Katie back into her house. "Look, what I said was true. Your friends have broken our laws and I have been forced to hold them in separate places on our property. I'm putting you in the basement with Lauren and my dad's box. Be good and quiet, and I won't get mad at you either."

"Laws? What laws have they broken?" Katie coughed.

"In our town, the laws to a household are whatever the owners say, and they broke every rule that I said."

"I'm sure that they didn't mean to."

"No, they did. I'm sorry honey, I don't want to scare you, but your friends did cause problems, and my friend and I had to take care of it. So let's get you cleaned up, and I'll reunite you with Lauren," Tali walked Katie into her bathroom.

"So where is everyone else?" Katie sat on the counter as Tali poured antibacterial onto a cloth.

"Murielle and Dean are in the bathroom, and Jaclyn and David are in the farm. Phillip was watching over Murielle and Dean, but I needed the General's help. My cow, Lulu, is watching over Jaclyn and David."

"Wait, you put Jaclyn and David together?" Katie worried.

"Yes?" Tali began to gently swipe the wet cloth over Katie's neck making her recoil in pain. "Sorry, sweetie, it must be done." Katie nodded with understanding.

"They don't get along well together. They're probably dead."

"Lulu is good with that kind of stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if their friendship is healed when you see them – if you see them," Tali corrected herself. "There, that should do it," she finished cleaning the cut on Katie's neck. It wasn't bleeding too much, but it was very red and vulnerable to infection. "Do you want to go see Lauren? She should have some extra food down there."

"Please," Katie hopped down. Tali led her down the old wooden stairs to see Lauren laughing with Tom. "Lauren!"

"Katie! Oh my gosh, are you all right? What happen? Did they hurt you? Of course they hurt you! Look at you!" Lauren gathered her best friend into a tight embrace.

"Lauren, Lauren! Settle down, I'm fine. I'll explain everything later. What I need to know is why you broke this girl's house laws? Did you at least apologize?" Katie cut her off.

"Katie, it's not like that. They were holding us hostage because your boyfriend figured out their deep dark secret."

"At least apologize. Everyone needs a secret."

"Fine, I'm sorry we found out and tried to escape, Tali," Lauren turned to her captor.

"I appreciate it Lauren. How about I let you guys meet back up later tonight? Maybe I'll even let you go," Tali marched back up the stairs to reunite with Lacy.

"So, what's their secret?" Katie sat on the cold ground.

"They're witches. Both her and Lacy. David found out and went berserk. They locked us all up in a room, but we were able to get out. That's when we saw you, but Tali found out and separated us. It really wasn't our fault," Lauren protested.

"So who's your friend?" Katie studied the wooden box carefully.

"I'm Tom – the oblong box. Katie right?" Tom remembered.

"Yes. So… you're a box?"

"That's correct. I used to be a tree trunk, but I got cut off from my stump. I miss him."

"Wait, what was the stump's name?"

"Conrad. We were like brothers – only closer."

"I know Conrad! I spent some time with him a few days ago. He really misses you, but I planted another seed for him, so I'm hoping that they'll be new friends quickly."

"Conrad is so easy to get along with. That was the nicest thing a person has ever done! Thank you for taking care of him."

"Oh, it was my pleasure. He took more care of me than I him."

Later that night, the group of friends was taken into the barn under careful watch of Lacy and Tali. The reunion with their lost friend was magical. Everyone was thrilled to see her alive and on the most part, healthy. Everyone had received a healthy sized dinner and were permitted to access their clothing and change into something clean.

"Tali, Lacy, I haven't known you long, but I speak on behalf of everyone here that there was no intent to release your secret, we just want to get home, and we're all very sorry for causing such a big mess," Katie announced.

"Thank you for that kids. I'm also sorry that we overreacted. Stay just tonight, and we'll take you to the nearest portal location in the morning. This is probably the nicest place to stay tonight. We'll see you in the morning," Lacy smiled and left with Tali.

"So, Katie, what the heck happened to you?" David exploded.

"Well, when I was kidnapped by that man and the girl, I found out she was our age, and exactly like us!" Katie exclaimed.

"Was she a mutation?" Dean interrupted.

"No, Dean, she was not mutated. She was a normal kid! So we camped out one night and had to eat venison that the big guy killed. The girl called him Master, which was kind of freaky. I think that they wanted to take me back to their dimension, but I can't say for sure. We walked all day and all night and all day again, and then we finally came to the town. The big guy tried to kill me a few times."

"KILL!" everyone shouted cutting Katie off once again.

"But I'm okay aren't I? Anyway, so we were staying at the inn, and he seemed to be getting nicer as long as I kept quiet, but then I found out that he was going to use me as testing for weird experiments! I had to run away, but he ordered the girl to stop me. That's when she punched me and cut me with his dagger, but I was still able to escape."

"It's a good thing that you escaped!" David declared.

"Yea! I just hope that he doesn't…" Murielle began but was broken up by shouts from the outside.

"WHERE IS SHE?" the Huntsman screamed out. "Where's the girl? I want to know this moment where she is, or I swear I'll…"

"You'll do what?" Mr. Hanes had his rifle aimed at the Huntsman's front, Lacy had one positioned to his back, and Tali had Rose restrained with a small handgun at her head.

"We're not handing you over. We're taking them home, and there's nothing that you can do about it," Lacy affirmed.

"You don't want to mess with my friend," Tali cocked the gun ready to rid their world of Rose.

"Don't you dare shoot the Huntsgirl! You're small town will wish that they never set foot into life!"

"We'll decide what we wish for," Mr. Hanes stopped.

"Go ahead, shoot her. You'll find the consequences," the Huntsman allowed.

"Master! Please, no! Don't shoot!" Rose pleaded feeling the gun pushed deeper into her blonde hair.

"Don't be afraid Huntsgirl," the Huntsman ordered.

"Leave now, or you both die," Tali demanded.

"So I'm supposed to take orders from a fifteen-year-old now?" The Huntsman walked over and caressed her face. She was unable to push him away to keep hold on his assistant. Tali knew that his goal was to let the young child go.

Although Tali wasn't able to defend herself, Lacy took quick action to protect her friend and shot the Huntsman in the spine. He shouted out in pain.

"What have you done?!" he raged.

"I protected my friend!" Lacy shouted. "Not only my friend, but my whole village! I will NOT let you hurt any of them! Including Tali's guests. I'm sorry… Rest In Peace!" she knocked him over the head with the gun to put him out of his misery as death grew upon the old man.

"M… M… Master," Rose whimpered. "Please, don't kill me! I'll do anything, anything at all! Just don't shoot!"

"You haven't done anything to us," Tali maintained her hold. "As with the others, I'll return you to the Animated Dimension tomorrow, and you can tell your stupid clan that their Master is dead, and that you could not protect him. You're staying in my bathroom tonight with General Phillip. Don't expect to get away with anything with him. Got it?" Tali raged. Rose nodded slightly overcome by fear. Tali marched the young blonde into the bathroom while Lacy stayed behind to assist with the cleaning up of the Huntsman.

"I can't believe I killed him," Lacy stared at the paled body lying on the ground.

"You're a hero Lacy. Never forget that," Mr. Hanes stroked her back to comfort the shocked girl.

"Don't worry, Katie, you're safe. They will not hurt you – any of you," Tali pledged.

"Who got shot?" Jaclyn picked up.

"The big guy. Lacy killed him to defend me. I owe her everything for being my friend," Tali choked up.

"What about Rose?" Katie reminded.

"She's in the bathroom with Phillip the Sponge. We'll take her back to her dimension tomorrow as well."

"May I please see her? She saved me from the Huntsman a few times, and I need to thank her."

"Sure, I'll take you. We'll be back in a couple of minutes," Tali noted to Katie's friends.

"Rose," Katie opened the doorway walking in on her previous captor. "Are you all right?"

"All right?" she glared upwards. "What do you think? The man who raised me was just shot dead two feet next to me, and now I'm stuck here with people who all want me dead! Do you think I'm all right?"

"Look Rose, I don't want you dead. You saved my life, and I am eternally grateful. Now there's nothing that I can do to bring back the Huntsman, but I can give you my phone number, so if you have some sort of inter-dimensional telephone or are in the Reality Realm anytime soon and want to talk, just call. I'll always be there to talk," Katie slipped the piece of paper into her hand.

"You're not mad that I gave you that black eye or cut your neck open?"

"You just did what you were told to do, Rose. I'm still alive right? You know, I had this fortune cookie once, and it told me that my happiness intertwines with my outlook on life, and I still have life, so I'm happy. Plus, I would have already been dead if you hadn't stopped him from killing me on the trail. Thank you. Call me any time, really," with that, Katie turned back towards the barn and didn't look back.

Everyone slept like a rock that night – only after they told stories around a small fire. They had all felt much safer as a whole group once more, but they could not wait to return home. All they had to do was hike for one day back home once they had reached the Reality Realm once again. Would anyone believe them though? Perhaps it should just be their little secret forever and ever – for that's how long they would be friends, forever and ever.

The next morning Tali and Lacy got everyone up – including Rose – and led them to the local portal station. The normal fee for a portal transportation was equivalent to 600 USD, but since the manager was Mrs. Hanes, she let them all go free. First to go was Rose. No one wanted her there any long than they had to. Finally it was Katie, Dean, David, Murielle, Jaclyn, and Lauren's turn to go home.

"Thanks again for taking care of my friends," Katie gratified, "Even if they were troublesome. But what can you do with _kids _these days," she sighed making everyone laugh.

"Once again, I'm also sorry for overreacting," Lacy and Tali atoned.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with us," David swore. They hugged and walked through the portal and all went safely home.

"Kate, how are we going to explain to your parents that black eye and cut?" David questioned giving Katie a piggyback ride.

"I don't know," she whined playfully. "They're going to be mad about it any way we put it! I could say Jaclyn and I were roughhousing, but then they would think that we're not 'responsible' enough to do this again. As for the cut, I'll probably say that I was running through the woods and got sliced open with a branch."

"Well, you know, we still have six days left on this trip," Lauren commented.

"That's right! I bet a lot of the swelling would go down by then!" Murielle added.

"But we have no food," Jaclyn reminded mournfully.

"Please, I'm the best fisherman from this side all the way to New York. I'll keep us going – if you don't mind eating fish for the next eighteen meals," Dean bragged.

"As exciting as that sounds, I bet that we could find a lot of berries and fruits along our trail. Let's just promise never to go into the river for water. We can go onto the bank, but never _in _it," Katie made everyone agree.

By the sixth day, everyone was walking back to their hometown when Katie's cell phone rang, 'Unknown Caller' the screen read. She shrugged and answered. "Hello?"

"Katie?" a tough voice responded.

"Hey Rose! I'm going to put you on speaker," Katie clicked the speaker button and everybody shouted hello. "What can we do for you Rose?"

"Well, you see, a new Huntsman was elected the other night, but he doesn't like me. What should I do?"

"Just make friends with him girl. Do you think that you and the other Huntsman hit it off right away? Probably not. Men don't care for little crying babies that smell a lot. Just give it some time. So I assume you returned home all right?"

"Yes, I did. How about you?"

"We're here perfectly! We decided to take the final six days of our trip to just have some plain fun."

"How are the injuries?"

"Just about gone. You can barely notice the eye anymore, and my cut… well, the cut is noticeable, but I have the perfect excuse for it."

"And that would be?"

"I was swimming in the river, when this little twig floating suddenly became a branch, and caught me on the throat, but my friends were able to patch me up quickly. Didn't I get a good punch in too when we were fighting?"

"Um, sure, keep telling yourself that, and I am sure that you'll believe that you're a good fighter."

"Well, we're just happy that everyone's all right – including you."

"Well you know what they say," Rose began, "A friend is a sibling…"

"That destiny forgot to give you," all proclaimed at the same moment in time.

* * *

Thanks for reading:D 


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